Means for loading railroad cars



G. F. KEITH MEANS FOR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Nov. 30, 1954 s snees-sheet1 Filed Oct. 17. 1949 Ill T Il l! /fvve/vrofr i George Francis i Kei/hMQW A l for/ley Nov. 3o, 1954 G. F. KEITH 2,695,558

y MEANS FOR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Filed OG'C. 17, 1.949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR George Franc/'s Kei/h LEU lay/@MQW Arm/My 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 G.F. KEITH 91N VR Nov. 30, 1954 MEANS FoR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Filed ocr.17. 1949 l\\\ Q //l\\ n 1w mwluwlwulm\m|ulnwuw||nmlnmmwmulmwmmwmmwwwnw.: mw Nm\ ov .mm u uw# r In E E MN A wlw. Q n P, a,f1 u., .u Mimik 2569555681 lIVINSIHR LADSTGLRAI'LROAD CARS 'GeorgeFrenos Keith, Montretonehec, Canada Applitiomoewberav;@19am-swarm.121,674 115, enfants.y ftcl. :rose-36s) The `:present `invention.relatesttor-means for loading "railroad cars.

`Itwis, accordingly, an object -ofthe1.presen`t `invention toa-providenovelfmeans whereby` self-propelled and like vehicles can `bequieklyandfeconomically lloaded on `railroad. cars.

. Another object-of the- .invention is ato .provide means wherebyf'suchlvehicles.V can/be` loadedfand :discharged principally under their ownpower.

Another object ofwthe Yinventionniis"thestprovision of `means for asideloading of railroad Lcarswhereby the :cars can be Y loaded =or Aunloadedwithout detachicn'ent from `the tram.

`A `furtheriobje'ot'of tthe'tinv'ention'zi's to.1provide.appa ratuswhereby 4automobiles and 'th'ewlilte lcan. Lbevl'oaded and discharged4'quickly'. onimeans carried Ientirely by the Afreight` car Stillanother-object of thetinventioncis `Ito iprovide'zmeans for loadingvehicles on railroad carswherein lthefloading 'and-dischargecan-fb`e1f'made`ffrom1or'onto tany 'desirable ,fg'round llevel=location.

A still .further object of 'thewinventionllis 4to :provide means forloading vehicleslon Arailroad cars lwherein the occupantsof the` vehiclecan be loaded and transported -With the vehicle.

Oth'er objects and advantages of the .invention will. become apparent asthe description*progresses.`

fin the accompanying 4drawings which `illustrate examples 4of thevarying forms =ofy lwhich the "invention 'fis susceptible:

Figure l is `a side :elevational View fof a Lpluraldeck railroad carl-fadapted for fthe loading fmeans 'of the invention; f

Figure 2 is arsimilar'yiew showingan a'rrangementfor theloadingoperatiom- ,t Figure Bis" afhorizontaltsection taken`online3-3ofFigure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 4 4offFigurelS;

Figure 5 Ais,-aperspective Viewoffawraek upon which the loadedveiiicle's ar'etra'isf'erred iiitbthe car;

Fig-ure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a `y con- 'nctionbetweensections of .theloading apparatus;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the car with the loading apparatusarranged to discharge the vehicles loaded as shown Iin the figuresindicated above, and

Figure 9 is a modification showing the novel loading means operativelyassociated with a single deck railroad car.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the views, indicates a double deckrailroad car having walkways 16 and 17 along one side and at the endswith a door opening 18 at each end affording communication with adjacentcars of the train. One outer side wall 19 of car 1S is advantageouslyprovided with a pair of spaced apart loading door openings 20 at the topand bottom decks 21 and 22.

Associated with side 19 of the car, as by connection through hinges 2Swith the decks, are panels 26 adapted to function as closing and asloading members. When swung to its upward vertical position each panel26 is designed to closely tit and close the loading doorway opening 26at the bottom of which it is mounted, as shown in Figure 1. These panelsare also operative to United States Patent Office 2,695,568 PatentedNov. 30, 1954 2.v be swung `outward to approximately horizontalpositions so )as to provide :runwaysupports Afor `the load `units.

When in open position each-offthepanels26 is adapted tofserve as arun-way support for the Vvehicles and it is desirable that the load tbelaterally transferrable lfrom tthe Ipanel `onto the :deck -withi-whichvthe :panel is fconneoted.

While'such transfer maytbeietfectedtinffvariousways and any known meansmay be4 employed without departing from Vthe lbroad aspects-oftheinvention, the illustrated example embodies the. provision 4of fourlchannelslor grooves 27 arranged transverselyin :the upperfand innerface of theapanel and Adisposed'totalign withcorresponding channels 28inthe :deck within t each loading -door opening, .the'outer Vendsof the.channels onthe panel and the'sinnerwends of vthose :on `the fdeckbeing. closed to :limit movement thereon. Guided by the channels .and-movable vthereon by friction Areducing means is a carriage member orrack 29lcon1pris'ingtalpairlof trackways .3.0 advantageously.troughf'shaped :to `guidinglgy .receive the wheels ofi a vehicle. Toeach` pair `of trackways are fastened a .plurality-of cross ibarsdisposedto assume positions V'over the'respect'ive .channels 27` and 28.In the underside Lof veachfoross bar `31 are formed arplurality `ofconcavities 32, each of which provides -a seat for .the upper part of aball 33. The balls 33 are ttedto roll in Ychannelsf27 :and 28.

Asshownin :Figures 2 and .3,.an arrangement 'for loading vehicles. suchras Jselfepropelled'passenger automobiles,

`embodies disposing thel'closing.` panels 4of .the leftA end `lower deckloadingidoorway tand the :panels ofthe right and upper doorway in openoutwardly projecting `positions. A panel 40providestconnection:betweenthedoor Apanels 26. This connectingsectionzembodiesa :pair of trackways 41 heldin transversely spacedrelation Aby a plurality of 4transverse bars 42'.` To 'one Aend sof eachtrackway `4-1? :is attachech. ashy welding, .an angularly bent fastening.'hookAS-:having `its 1outer .end .formed'to engage atsoeket `44 finthedoortpanelvwhile supporting trackway 41` 'in runningrelation' with'trackway 30. At the oppositeiendoffeachttrackway 41risarho'ok545fenga`geable withra` socket -44 inxtheilower endloading .panelto align the lower :ends `of ythe nconnectingtrackways `with rack on thebottom deck panel. The veliicteis'rolled Onto the bottom deckfpanelortpreferably onto thetfrack thereon through the medium of "arleadpanel'46` essentially .corresponding to panel 40 with the fliooks 43 .at`one endto engage kthe vlower panel`t26 andz'the other ends .of thetrackwayscurved'to facilitate the-run up fromranapproximately tracklevel station.

The lower deck swingpanels canberreadilyfsupported inllaterallyprojectingloadingpositions byfprops-50^which mayfadvantageouslyfbeadjustable jacks; The upperlevel `horizontal'panelslare'supported bychains 151 and, `where circumstancesrequirerbyjacks or likeprops.

Thust a. plurality `of wheeled vehicles, such as the `automobiles shown,.can' .be rapidly and conveniently .loaded fon a itwo -dec'k`railroadzcar fhy r disposing `a lower :panelf261at oneend'andranzupperpanelatthe opposite end in horizontal loading positionsand arranging the lead and connecting panels as illustrated at Figures 2and 3. The first load vehicle is driven up the ramp forming lead section46, over the rack 26 on the bottom deck open panel, up the inclinedconnecting panel 40 and onto the .rack of upper open panel 26. Thelatter rack with the vehicle placed thereon is moved inward onto thedeck and the vehicle is driven or moved manually in reverse off thecarrier over the intermediate part of the deck to a position at theopposite end. Additional vehicles can then similarly be driven to occupyintermediate and for: ward end positions to fully load the upper deck.Further vehicles from the same or other loading stations or positionsare loaded on the Vlower deck by moving them successively from the loweropen panel and driving the foremost forwardly in the car. The rampsections 40 and 46 can'be readily placed in the car and hung on thewalls thereof or pivotally attached to the panels 26 and swung againstthe panels when the latter are closed.

The unloading of the vehicles, as shown at Figure 8, can be effected insuch manner that they can be driven forward over the side runwaysections by arranging the door panels reversed from that shown at Figure2, that is, by disposing the upper left and lower right panels 26 inrunway positions to discharge first the vehicles at the positionopposite the upper left panel and the others on this deck by successivemovement to this position. The vehicles of the lower deck are forwardlydischarged from the lower right end open panel.

As shown in Figure 9, a single deck railroad car, indicated at 60, canbe advantageously loaded by employing the runway apparatus in connectionwith a center door loading structure, the unloading if desired beingmade forwardly from the opposite end of panel 26.

It is to be noted that the system can be installed upon railroad cars ofconventional and varying construction without great expense and that thetransverse conveyance through the loading doorway may be effectedmanually or by other suitable means. In addition to the shipment of newautomobiles, trucks and tractors the loading means of the invention isconducive to the transportation of vehicles and their occupants onextended trips wherein railroad transport is desirable because of pooror congested roads, fatigue of the driver, et cetera.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention Without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited to that which isshown in the drawings and described in the specification but only asindicated 'in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In means for loading cars having loading openings in a side thereof,a plurality of sections connected with and extending outwardly of theloading side of the car so that wheeled vehicles can be moved on saidsections in a direction parallel with the loading side of the car tovarying levels.

2. Means as described in claim 1 wherein certain of said sections areoperative to close the loading openings of car. Y

3. In means for loading self-propelled vehicles on railroad cars havingmultiple decks and openings in a wall thereof for loading onto thedecks, a plurality of panels supported to project from said side wall sothat vehicles can be driven thereon parallel with the side wall topositions for transfer onto the decks through said open-ings.

4. Means as defined in claim 3 wherein said panels are constructed forarrangement so that the vehicles can be moved forward for loading andfor unloading.

5. Means as defined in claim 3 wherein certain of said Y panels can bearranged to close the loading openings when not used for loading.

6. Means as defined in claim 3, wherein certain of said panels aredetachable when not used for loading or unloading.

7. In loading means of the character described, a body having openings,panels for closing said openings and operative to positions providingrunways, and panels extending parallel with a side of the body forproviding inclined runways connecting with said closing panels.

8. In means for loading self-propelled vehicles on railroad cars havingloading openings in a side wall thereof, a plurality of panels operativeto close said openings and to provide runways laterally of saidopenings, means upon which the vehicles can be moved sidewise on saidpanels and into the railroad car, and panels extending parallel with aside of the body operative to assume inclined positions in continuitywith said horizontally projecting closing panels whereby vehiclesV canbe driven on said panels to positions for movement into the railroadcar.

9. Means for loading self-propelled vehicles on multiple deck railroadcars, said car having two loading openings in a wall thereof for eachdeck, a panel operative to close each of said loading openings and toassume a vehicle runway position projecting horizontally of the bottomof the opening, a panel extending parallel with a side of the bodyoperative for connection with said closing panels to provide 4a vehiclerunway between said closing panels, and means on said closing panels andcar for moving a vehicle sidewise of said closing panels and the decksof the car.

l0. In loading means for a plural deck car having side openings forsidewise loading and discharge of `automobiles, panels connected withthe car operative to close said openings and to assume a horizontallyprojecting runway position, a section removably engageable with two ofsaid laterally projecting panels extending parallel with a side of thebody to provide an automobile runway between the same, and meansincluding a carriage for shifting an automobile from the laterallyextending panels into the car.

l1. Loading means as defined in claim 10 wherein said lateral shiftingmeans comprises a carriage mounted on friction reducing means for movingan automobile into and out of the car.

l2. Loading means as defined in claim 10 wherein said first panels arehingedly connected to the car.

13. Loading means as definedin claim l0 wherein said removable sectionis detachably connected withv said panels so that the automobiles can bedriven onto the carriage of the panels.

14. In means for loading vehicles on a railroad car, longitudinallyspaced means mounted to extend outwardly from a side of the car atdifferent levels, and means connected to said spaced means to formhorizontal and inclined runways associated with the car at a vehiclereceiving level for the movement thereon of vehicles in a dir ectionlongitudinally of the car for loading and unloading spaced levels on thecar.

l5. In means for loading vehicles on a carrying car, a plurality ofspaced horizontal members connected with a side of said car to assumepositions extending from vehicle receiving levels, an inclined sectionconnecting said spaced horizontal members, and an inclined sectionconnecting ground level with one of said horizontal meni- `bers so as toprovide runways for the movement of vehicles in a direction parallelwith the direction of movement of the car for loading from ground levelto one or more vertically spaced levels of the car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,190,708 Fowler Feb. 20, 1940 2,432,228 De Lano Dec. 9, 1947

